PCE addresses the 2025 QEII National Trust Conference

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recently spoke at the QEII National Trust conference

The Commissioner questioned the extent of property rights, especially regarding natural resources and biodiversity. He also questioned whether landowners have the right to destroy biodiversity and what responsibilities come with land ownership.

He says, “What I do want to do is explore the consequences of what a move to affirming property rights at the heart of environmental legislation might mean for biodiversity protection.”

This will be an important consideration as the Government reforms key legislation, including the RMA,

“The question I’d like to ask today – and I don’t have an answer – is whether a further proposition lies under the surface here: that property owners own the biodiversity on their land and have the right to destroy it. I don’t consider that I have a right to destroy biodiversity. But that’s a personal view. Others clearly think they do have a right to destroy it.”